'Aeroplane' Ertijaal could be off around the world

JIM CROWLEY described Ertijaal as “an aeroplane” after his win in the Meydan Sprint last week.

It’s ironic as an aeroplane is the one thing that has been conspicuously absent from the sprinter’s career since he hit the big time.

For the last three seasons he’s led a successful but sheltered existence in the United Arab Emirates, but there must be a chance that last week’s hugely impressive victory will persuade connections to show him off around the world this year.

Since 2014 he’s run at just two tracks, Meydan and Abu Dhabi. Nine of his ten starts in that time came in the months of January and February. The other was in March.

But, although he’s enjoyed an easy programme, kicking his heels for ten months a year, he has taken those limited opportunities to prove himself a real force at the highest level of world sprinting.

He first raised eyebrows by winning a pair of valuable Meydan handicaps under big weights last year before stepping up to Group 1 company and finishing second to Australian star Buffering in the Al Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup night.

He finished last season with a peak RPR of 120 and has improved again this year, winning another valuable handicap off an even higher mark – and just as easily – on his penultimate start. Then he won his first graded race at Meydan last week.

He was 4-7 favourite for the Meydan Sprint on Thursday when the only real question was whether he could be as monstrous as he has been in handicaps at level weights.

If he had failed to impress in graded company we might have labelled him a ‘weight-carrier’. You sometimes get these in 5f races and it simply means the weight on their back does not hinder their speed as much as you might expect and therefore their handicap form can look deceptively good.

But, as it happens, he improved again in the Group 3 race, winning easily with a freakish burst of speed taking him well clear of his rivals in the final furlong to record the quickest ever time over 5f at Meydan – 55.90sec.

An RPR of 123 for this success ranks him as the best sprinter in the world at this very early stage of the year, ahead of the leading Hong Kong speedballs and Saturday’s Black Caviar Lightning winner Terravista (120).

The Dubai sprint programme has changed slightly this year, which means he will probably have to step up to 6f for his next start in either the Nad Al Sheba Sprint on Super Saturday or the Al Quoz Sprint (switched from 5f to 6f this year) on World Cup night.

With winning form over 7f, he should handle the extra distance, although speed is clearly his forte and there’s no telling whether he’ll be quite as potent over the longer sprint distance as he hasn’t run beyond the minimum trip for two years.

Beyond that connections should be looking global. Regular partner Crowley says he’s up with the best sprinters he’s ever ridden and there should be opportunities on the international circuit for a horse this fast if connections fancy it.

How he gets on over 6f next time will give us a better idea of potential targets. If he sees it out well, something like the King’s Stand Stakes over the undulating straight 5f at Royal Ascot could be worth a look. The ten-year average RPR for winners of that race stands at 121, so he’s already thereabouts.

If things go to plan next month and connections wanted to get really adventurous, they could even grab a ticket for the world’s richest turf race, the Everest, set to be run at Randwick in October.

Owner Hamdan Al Maktoum has an international racing portfolio and a global outlook, so overseas trips must be in his mind with Ertijaal, who has just turned six, suggesting this could be his time to shine.

James Harron is the first to book his spot in the inaugural running of the world’s richest turf race The Everest.

“It's a hugely exciting concept. It's a race which will capture the attention of not just the racing world, but the public as a whole,” said Harron, who heads up his own bloodstock agency James Harron Bloodstock.

“There's a huge buzz about this project - as befits a $10 million race.

“I'm sure that this will only increase as the slot purchases are announced and the contenders begin to emerge. It is going to be fascinating to follow the trading. We will be keeping a very close eye on sprinters domestically and internationally and plan on being very open to the possibility of doing a deal on our slot.”

The group of owners who have come together with Harron to purchase the first of the twelve Everest slots are Belinda Bateman, Fergus and Delia Doyle, Donna and Rob Love, Phil and Glenda Mehrten, John and Fran Ingham, Danny and Pauline Saab and Gary Diamond.

“The cornerstone of our business is to buy colts with the aim of creating stallions, very much the type of horses who would be aimed at weight-for-age sprints as three-year-olds,” said Harron.

“The Everest gives an outstanding chance to showcase three-year-old sprinters against not only the best horses in Australia, but very likely also against some of the best international sprinters.”

Harron, who won the Golden Slipper last year with Capitalist and will have Pariah running in his familiar green and gold colours in the two-year-old feature this afternoon, has no doubt that you will need a world class sprinter to win The Everest.

“With the race over six months away it is very early to be talking about specific horses, although the race really suits the kind of horses we are aiming to produce through the colt group, so I would be hopeful that one of the current two-year-olds develops into the right kind of horse.”

“Peter V'Landys and his team at Racing NSW deserve huge credit for putting this together, as do Darren Pearce and his team at the ATC. For me there is no doubt that this race will very quickly become one of the most important events on the global racing calendar.”

There has been enormous interest in The Everest, with only four slots remaining.

"Racing NSW and the ATC are accepting bids for slot licences, but interested bidders should act quickly. It is largely first in best dressed,” said Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys.

The Everest will be run at Royal Randwick over 1200 metres on 14 October 2017.

She is a 3 year old, Golden Slipper winning filly against theoretically the best older horses just 3 months into the season - I don't think so.

Aaaah. Good morning Rip Van Winkle. Good to see that The Everest makes you arise from your slumber.

We could debate her merits in this race.

My own thoughts is that she is not comfortable on a wet track and we really didn't see the best of her at the end of this campaign. She just looks the part - call it intuition.

It is rare territory seeing a 3yo in open company at that time of year. Exceed And Excel as a 3yo did win the Group 1 1400m race at Caulfield in Spring (it goes through so many race name changes I cannot keep track - think it's registered name is the Victoria Hcp) and I don't think the handicapper was none too kind to him either - might have carried the #5 saddlecloth.

I think the Everest as a concept could work out well if the ATC or VRC or a another club bought a slot or 2and gave it to the winner of a certain G1 race or points system for a few G1 races. This could bring more hype to the G1 races plus ensures quality of the Everest too.

Currently unless there is some sort of compromise, it favours the very rich who can hold out the slots in their favour while the owners of some good horses won't be able to afford it.

The Star and Tabcorp have already bought slots in The Everest and will now negotiate with suitable connections to find a horse to run under their banners.

Advertising is strictly forbidden on jockey colours in Australian racing, with only Emirates, which is aligned with international racing giant Godolphin, allowed to carry branding on Sheikh Mohammed's famous blue colours in the Melbourne Cup, a race in which it is the primary sponsor.

"This can be life-changing for battlers who might have a good horse and they attract the attention of slot-owners who want their horse to race for them, and we've even had an interstate race club interested from day one."

So while all the negative nellies have been busy telling us all why it won't work, there was an interstate race club (most likely Victorian) negotiating a slot

I take it they would use the slot as some sort of added prize to a lead up sprint? Would they give 100% as the prize or would the club retain some to try and improve their ROI.

"This can be life-changing for battlers who might have a good horse and they attract the attention of slot-owners who want their horse to race for them, and we've even had an interstate race club interested from day one."

So while all the negative nellies have been busy telling us all why it won't work, there was an interstate race club (most likely Victorian) negotiating a slot

I take it they would use the slot as some sort of added prize to a lead up sprint? Would they give 100% as the prize or would the club retain some to try and improve their ROI.

I had to go and read the story to see who would come up with such dribble, anyone who stopped to think about it would know it's a stupid statement to be swallowed by the media

Why doesn't it surprise it came out of this blokes mouth

Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'landys hoped the 12 slot-holders – who will fork out $600,000 annually for three years – would be finalised within the coming weeks.

"We always said it would be first in, best dressed, and we're trying to diversify the slot-owners and we've certainly done that," he said."This can be life-changing for battlers who might have a good horse and they attract the attention of slot-owners who want their horse to race for them, and we've even had an interstate race club interested from day one."

Anyone who puts any thought to it would know that any horse even being considered would have already produced on the track (She Will Reign, Houtzen, Chat, Speith etc etc) their owners would have already done well Yet this spin doctor puts out this trash for the masses to swallow, the bloke makes me sick

Welcome to Emirates Royal Randwick for the running of the International Oil Cartel Everest

The field is assembling in the Commonwealth Bank Can Do Theatre of the Horse.

Let Your Fingers Do the Walking ... is a bit old fashioned and we are surprised he is still going around

I'm Loving It ... has been rumoured to contain various prohibited substances but the punters just love it sweetOpen Happiness ... is fizzing up a little, but appears to have some Life about him and the reports from overseas are that he is the Real Thing

Finger Licking Good .... looks a bit fat but is at tasty odds and has been prepared to an original recipe in Kentucky

Hard Earned Thirst... is the local hope and many have wondered when he would get his chance at international glory, well, as a matter of fact he's got it now

Were Moving With You ... is a prolific American but inclined to breakdown

Oh What A Feeling ... has made the journey from Japan and is known for its reliability

Don't Leave Home Without it ... the interest is high on this one,

The Best A Man Can Get.... looks sharp on the face of it

When Only The Best Will Do ... is a bit of a smokey and many are surprised he is even allowed to take his place in the field but if the mail is right he'll not only blow them away, he'll kill them

Because I'm Worth It... if racing were a beauty quest then the French filly would win it but its not and she may not be all that she is made up to beJust Do It... is a youngster out of Asia that has not been adequately rewarded for what he has produced so far

Can someone who is criticizing the sponsorship aspect of Everest point out to me where in the past on this forum they have levelled the same criticism at the VRC for permitting Emirates to advertise on jockey's gear during the Melbourne Cup carnival?

My reading is they own the slot and can nominate whoever they can negotiate to run for them. So if the filly goes wrong, or even if they simply change their mind they retain the slot they have paid for.

I thought smarter heads may have prevailed with this ridiculous concept. Seems not. It appears the Egyptian and his puppy dog will get their way. Their was a time when Australian racing was the envy of the World but when you allow these self ingratiated breeders to run it for themselves you know the whole thing starts falling apart. Only their greed motivates them. K Callander was spot on.